Where Do I Turn?

You know that “Ms.” is contemporary. And you know your audience will appreciate “Ms.” But your boss insists that you address every woman as “Miss” unless you know for certain that she’s married. Or, perhaps you’re writing a sales brochure for your company’s classes in basketball, swimming, and other recreational activities. Since you’re writing for teenagers and the idea you’re promoting is lighthearted fun, you want to use contractions. But, your boss crosses out every “you’ll” and replaces it with “you will.” What do you do?

In the end, you have two choices. One is to determine the company’s style by looking at other documents. If no letter, brochure, proposal, or PR piece uses contractions — you’re stuck. On the other hand, if these materials use contractions, make an objective and friendly case to your boss. Supposing, though, that your boss owns the company. Depending on your boss’s nature, you can either dispense advice or yield.